Cupcake Read online

  ‘Just under four years, we bought the place shortly after we got married. We wanted to be out in the countryside, away from the light pollution and the bustle.’

  ‘Cole loves me almost as much as he loves the stars,’ joked Elsie.

  ‘Almost,’ he laughed.

  ‘Do you have a telescope?’ asked Tom.

  Cole smiled with pride. ‘It’s more of an observatory. Did you want to come take a look?’

  Anna grinned as Tom’s eyes widened. ‘Yes, I’d love to.’

  As the two of them left the room, Tom glanced back at Elsie and for a brief moment she caught his eye. For just a second she saw a glint of something there.

  She knew that look, it was that backward glance that everyone does when they’ve seen someone attractive - that irresistible urge to look again and to satisfy that part of you that enjoyed just looking at them, but he had done it with a boldness and a smile that made her feel weak at the knees.

  She laughed to herself. He had literally swept her off her feet.

  Anna had noticed too, and she giggled as Elsie turned to look at her and blushed.

  ‘He’s a cheeky fucker isn’t he? You are his type though. Tall, brunette, fast talking, ultra smart. I bet you do Yoga.’

  Elsie laughed and nodded as she continued.

  ‘I sometimes wonder what the hell he’s doing with me?’

  Elsie frowned and went to speak, but Anna carried on.

  ‘Oh, don’t worry. I know he loves me,’ she laughed at this and raised her eyebrows. ‘It’s just I’m small, blonde and whilst I’m not dumb, I’m not an MIT graduate crypto-scrumptious brainiac either.’

  ‘You’re smart and hot,’ said Elsie. ‘Are you kidding me?’

  Anna’s expression changed and she frowned and then smiled, taken aback. ‘No one’s said that to me in a while. Thank you.’

  For a long moment the two of them looked at one another, a brief frown flashing across Anna’s brow as the seconds ticked away. Then Elsie sensed someone standing in the doorway and she turned to look, blushing with guilt.

  Alice raised her eyebrows as the two of them grinned awkwardly, more than a little flustered.

  ‘Were you two having a moment?’ she laughed. ‘Did I interrupt the start of something beautiful. The kids are out the back, the men are upstairs, I reckon I could stall everyone for at least ten minutes if you two want to get it out of your system.’

  ‘Ooh la la, no,’ giggled Anna, going bright red. ‘We were just talking.’

  ‘Are you sure? Because she’s great in bed, she’s does this thing with her tongue-‘

  ‘Alice!’ interrupted Elsie, her eyes wide.

  ‘Oops, I’m in trouble now,’ she said, making guilty eyes at Anna whose expression was somewhere between hysterical and shocked.

  Emilia stepped in behind her sister, placing her hand in the small of her back as she looked around the room. ‘Is my big sister being mean?’

  Elsie laughed as Anna looked away relieved. ‘She’s just being her usual self.’

  ‘Oh gosh,’ admonished Emilia, shaking her head. ‘It’s the worst when she does that, isn’t it?’

  ‘Hey,’ laughed Alice. ‘Now who’s being mean?’

  ‘I’m going to push off,’ said Emilia to them all. ‘I need to get back before my husband starts to worry.’

  ‘What about the boyfriend and the girlfriend?’ said Alice, pointedly.

  ‘Them too,’ smiled Emilia, cocking her head curtly. ‘It’s really nice to have met you both, and if you need anything please do ask, Alice will get a message to me.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Anna, standing up. ‘We ought to get going too.’

  Elsie’s face flashed with disappointment as Anna looked toward her. ‘Thank you, Anna. You’ve been so kind.’

  ‘It’s no trouble, erm,’ she glanced back towards the two sisters, still standing in the doorway.

  ‘Oh you do want us out for a minute?’ said Alice, grinning and tapping her nose. ‘No problem.’

  Emilia stepped into the corridor dragging Alice back and pulling the door shut as her nosy sister peered through the rapidly closing crack.

  ‘Sorry, I just… Is it okay if I ask for your number?’ said Anna, awkwardly. ‘You seem like a really nice couple and I’d be much happier knowing that you’re okay.’

  ‘I’d love that,’ she said, reaching for her phone. ‘Can I have your’s too?’

  Anna beamed and nodded, and then looked down at her phone screen as Elsie’s contact sharing invite appeared on her screen. ‘Thank you.’

  For a moment the two of them looked at each other, smiling awkwardly and then Anna took a deep breath and walked across the room to give Elsie a hug, wrapping her arms around her tight.

  From the doorway, a familiar voice hissed… ‘Kiss her.’

  ‘We really must get going,’ laughed Anna, shaking her head as she stood back up. ‘Your friend is funny.’

  ‘She’s bonkers.’

  ‘I’ll go round up my family, and see what’s left of your garden.’

  ‘I’m off,’ said Emilia, leaning through the door and waving.

  ‘Thank you, all of you. I really appreciate it.’

  As Anna left the room and Emilia and Alice hugged in the doorway, Elsie felt a familiar sensation in her stomach. One that she hadn’t felt in almost a year.

  She smiled to herself and gently bit down on her bottom lip.

  She had a new crush.

  And there was a chance - just a chance - that it might be mutual.

  Ooh la la, indeed.

  *

  CHAPTER TWO

  ‘WELL THEY WERE nice,’ said Alice, she grinned as she closed the door and turned around slowly.

  ‘What do you mean?’ said Elsie feigning innocence as she leaned back against the hallway cabinet, unable to hide the blush forming on her cheeks.

  ‘I’m just saying they were nice,’ repeated Alice as her smile widened. She tilted her head meaningfully. ‘Perhaps you should invite them over for dinner? Get the fire going…’

  Elsie’s crimson cheeks brightened, shaking her head. ‘They were lovely, but no.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because…’ her mouth stayed open as she tried to think of a retort. ‘Just, because.’

  A moment later the door opened again and a cold draught flooded the hallway as Cole came back inside, rubbing his snow covered gloves together as steam puffed out of his mouth, his cheeks rosy from the chill.

  ‘They were nice,’ he said cheerfully, frowning as his wife and Alice made silent eye contact and then burst into laughter.

  ‘Stop it,’ said Elsie as she hopped over toward her friend, reaching out for her support.

  ‘Stop what?’ said Cole, puzzled as he unwrapped the thick scarf from around his neck and hung his coat on a large hook by the front door. ‘They seemed really friendly.’

  ‘They were lovely,’ said Elsie, giving her friend an admonishing glare. ‘Alice is just being rude.’

  ‘Shall we get you sat down?’ he said, opening the door to the lounge as the pair of them hobbled through.

  ‘On the couch, please,’ said Elsie. ‘I can stretch out then.’

  Elsie wobbled along next to Alice, who was doing her best not to laugh. Cole darted ahead and cleared the cushions to the far end, making a propped up area for his wife to recline into and then together he and Alice helped her down onto the soft leather seat.

  ‘You liked them, didn’t you?’ grinned Alice.

  ’Yeah, they seemed great,’ said Cole, standing up straight.

  ‘No, I mean you liked them,’ she said again, looking at Elsie.

  Cole turned to his wife and frowned.

  ‘Maybe,’ she said, mischievously. ‘Why? Are you jealous?’

  ‘No,’ said Alice, crossing her arms. ‘I just think you should be careful.’

  ‘Alice Hunter - the biggest risk taker I know - thinks we should be careful.’

  She stared back, chewing
her lip, and then she smiled. ‘Fine, maybe I’m a little bit jealous.’ Her eyes widened at her own admission.

  ‘Wow,’ said Elsie, frowning for a moment as she grinned.

  ‘Don’t get mushy on me Winters, I said maybe. I saw the way you two were looking at each other.’

  ‘Wait, what did I miss?’ said Cole, looking between them.

  Elsie glanced at her bemused husband. ‘Nothing. Alice is just worked up. It was just a bit awkward, that was all.’

  ‘It was more than that and you know it,’ said Alice, tapping her foot.

  ‘Are we going to have an argument over this?’

  ‘Not if you admit you fancied them.’

  Elsie laughed, leaning her head back into the nest of pillows, her eyes closed in exasperation. ‘Fine. Ok, I thought she was pretty and I thought he was attractive.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘And... maybe there was something there.’

  ‘Thank you, that’s all I needed to hear,’ smiled her friend. ‘So… quickie? And then I’ll get going?’

  Cole’s eyes widened, momentarily stunned.

  ‘I didn’t pick this skirt out of your wardrobe this morning for nothing, you know?’ she continued, beaming at Elsie as she hooked her fingers up beneath the pleats and began to slide down her leggings, revealing her long bare legs. ‘If you’re not up to it, you’re welcome to watch.’

  Elsie’s mouth dropped open as Alice shuffled her knickers down past her ankles and sprang back up, flicking her hair back behind her ears and dropping her little panties onto the floor in front of them both.

  Cole grinned mischievously and licked his suddenly dry lips, his eyes wide as his heart began to pound in his chest. Elsie could see that his jeans were already beginning to bulge.

  Alice turned around, swinging her hips and flicking the edge of her skirt up into the air revealing the curve of her bottom, then she knelt down beside Elsie on the couch, spreading her thighs and leaning forward, her elbows resting on the backrest as she looked round at Cole, lips pursed in a seductive smile and eyebrows raised in invitation.

  His jaw firmly dropped, he looked to his wife who was shaking her head in amused disbelief. She could see that he was rather eagerly awaiting her permission and she closed her eyes and sighed, biting her lip before nodding and smiling.

  Cole didn’t hesitate, quickly undoing his belt, unbuttoning his waistband and unzipping his fly, pulling both his jeans and boxers down in one fast motion and taking hold of his already rock solid cock in his hand as he stepped up behind his wife’s best friend and slid himself up against her wet parting, running it back and forth and teasing her as she squirmed.

  Elsie sat upright, shuffling closer to them both and running her hand over Alice’s back as she leaned in close to her girlfriend’s ear.

  ‘You are such a cheeky bitch,’ she said as the two of them kissed, then a moment later Alice moaned and bucked as Cole’s cock slipped inside her.

  ‘Oh, fuck,’ she hissed, opening her eyes and taking a deep breath. ‘That never get’s old.’

  Cole’s hand’s gripped her bare ass and pushed the little skirt up high onto her back as he settled into a rhythm of long, deep and slow thrusts, his head thrown back and his eyes closed tight.

  ‘You should fuck them,’ moaned Alice as Elsie’s lips met hers again.

  She pulled back and grinned, shaking her head as her husband took hold of her hand.

  ‘He was pretty hot,’ conceded Elsie, laughing as she looked back at her man, his muscles taught beneath his thick woollen jumper.

  ‘His wife liked Cole too,’ Alice moaned again and closed her eyes this time as his cock grew inside of her, thrusting harder as she cried out. ‘Oh fuck, I don’t blame her either.’

  ‘Do you think they would want to… you know?’

  ‘Uh-huh,’ she nodded as Cole sped up. ‘They’ve not done it before though, but I think they would, if the opportunity came up.’

  Elsie’s finger slid slowly down her best friend’s spine, tracing a gentle swirling line toward her bottom. ‘Why do you think that?’

  ‘Intuition,’ she cried out, burying her head in the soft leather. ‘Trust me, I know. They love each other - she practically worships him - but she’s curious, and he’s inexperienced.’

  ‘What do you suggest?’

  ‘Invite them over,’ she closed her eyes as Elsie’s finger pressed softly against her little button, Cole’s cock rock solid and deep inside, thrusting so hard she was struggling to speak. ‘Have some dinner, flirt with them - Yes, yes, keep going - maybe play a game? Something a little naughty.’

  Elsie’s finger swirled round and round between Alice’s cheeks now, moving slow as their lips met again.

  She pulled away suddenly, then tugged at her own leggings, twisting upright to avoid putting weight on her injured ankle. Carefully she knelt side by side against her best friend, their bottom’s touching, her leggings stretched tight between her upper thighs.

  ‘What else?’ she hissed as Cole slipped out of Alice and pushed into his wife’s waiting pussy, thrusting hard.

  ‘Tease them, play truth or dare,’ said Alice. ‘Work them up, touch them, flirt with them. Make them jealous.’

  ‘Uh-huh,’ moaned Elsie.

  ‘Then dare her to kiss you,’ whispered her friend, grinning and biting her lip as Cole’s fingers pressed against her pussy. ‘See how they react.’

  ‘I’d want him to fuck me,’ said Elsie, turning back to smile at her husband. ‘Whilst you fuck her.’

  ‘I’d like that,’ said Cole.

  Alice laughed as he looked between them.

  ’This was meant to be a quickie,’ she said, reaching her hand between Elsie’s parted legs and deftly finding her clit.

  ‘Oh yes,’ she cried, burying her face in Alice’s as she drew closer, her orgasm building fast as the dual sensations flooded her body. She reached up and gripped hold of her friend, holding her tight as she started to come.

  Just as she bucked, Cole pulled out of her and slid back into Alice, pounding their friend hard up against the couch until she was almost screaming.

  ‘Yes, yes, fuck me. Harder. Harder,’ she cried, her body shaking as she too came.

  Then Elsie grinned as she heard Cole groan, his body thrusting once, twice, as his back arched and he went silent, filling her friend with his seed as he exploded into her.

  Then to her surprise he pulled out and thrust hard back into her too, squeezing himself as more of his love flowed from the tip of his manhood, shooting into both of them as he spent himself completely.

  A moment later he fell to the side, collapsing onto the empty part of the couch, his eyes closed, shaking as his chest rose and fell, mumbling to himself. The girls started laughing, falling into each other as Elsie did her best to keep her ankle out of the way.

  After a few minutes spent recovering Alice leaned in, resting her head against Elsie’s breast and spreading her fingers out wide across her belly.

  ‘I love you, you know?’ she said quietly. ‘Not in a I want to spend the rest of my life with you and adopt three children kind of way.’

  ‘Five children, with alphabetical names.’

  ‘Quite,’ she laughed. ‘But seriously I do. More than a friend.’

  ‘I should bloody hope so,’ giggled Elsie as they kissed.

  ‘That’s why I think you should call them.’

  ‘I’m not following.’

  ‘I like to see you happy and fulfilled, just like Cole does.’

  ‘Ok?’

  ‘You and her had chemistry.’

  Elsie took a deep breath. ‘They’re a married couple though.’

  Alice shrugged. ‘So are you?’

  ‘They’re happy.’

  ‘So are you.’

  ‘I did like them.’

  ‘I know, so call them. What’s the harm in it? If it comes to nothing, you’ve lost nothing.’

  She nodded and smiled, kissing Alice slowly and deeply as
she wrapped her fingers around the back of her best friend’s neck. As she pulled away, she saw that her cheeks were flushed and rosy.

  ‘Kiss me like that again and I’ll stay another night,’ said Alice, struggling to put words together.

  Elsie bit her lip and giggled, then she leaned up and pulled Alice down on top of her.

  ‘I love you too,’ she whispered and then kissed her again.

  *

  The curtains were already open as Elsie’s eyelids fluttered apart. Outside the snow was falling again, gentle drifting snowflakes brushing against the window and melting the moment they touched the warm glass.

  Alice had left an hour ago, and already she missed the warmth of her best friend’s naked body beside her. They’d fallen asleep together, gently making love throughout the evening, slow and sweet.

  As the dawn broke and whilst Elsie dozed, Alice had woken, showered - whilst Cole was suspiciously absent - dressed and kissed her on the forehead before creeping downstairs. The sound of her car as it crunched through the snow was the last thing Elsie remembered before she’d drifted away again.

  For a while she lay still, her thoughts drifting like leaves tumbling in the wind, rousing her as she slept.

  Anna and Tom.

  Alice was right. There was something exciting about them. She couldn’t put her finger on it precisely, but there was chemistry there. Something electric between all of them.

  It was innocent too.

  It wasn’t driven by some misguided carnal opportunism. It was natural. There was a deeper connection, she was sure of it.

  If she let herself go and drift away as she dozed, she could feel it floating amongst the leaves in her mind - a feather of feelings - soft and sensual.

  And it was turning her on.

  Over the last three years, she and Cole had embarked on a sexual adventure that had liberated them both on so many levels that she struggled to reconcile the person she was now, with the person she was back then.

  They had changed together and had successfully navigated some of the biggest, most complex challenges a couple could ever face and instead of breaking them, it had made them stronger.